Modi government adopting divide and rule policy: Kharge
New Delhi, July 20 : Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday accused the Modi government of adopting divide and rule policy by breaking society, crushing freedoom of speech and pushing people into inequality.
Participating during the discussion on no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha, Kharge said: "I was wondering what Modi government did in the past 4 years three months. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh gave us lessons on history. You should tell us what you have done in the past four years."
"Rajnath Singh said they electrified the remaining 18,000 villages. But was electricity produced in the past 70 years. There are more than 6 lakh villages in the country. Who gave electricity to 6, 10,000 villages. Is it the Congress government or the BJP government?" asked Kharge.
"If you take credit for electrifying 18,000 villages in 4 years, don't you think it is a success story of the Congress government in electrifying more than 6 lakh villages in 70 years," he said.
"The manner in which you are trying to break the society, freedoom of speech crushed, pushing people into inequality, you cannot save democracy in this manner."
"You have to appreciate Congress' contribution in saving democracy. Your RSS-based ideology is against Baba Saheb Ambedkar's idelogy. The governemnt is good at insitgating..they try to didvide and rule," he added.
Talking about not conferring him the status of a full-fledged member in the Selection Committee for Lokpal, Kharge said: "You could not bring an amemdment or ordinace to include member of largest opposition party. You can bring 6-7 ordinances for other issues."
"If I call you as special invitee? Would you come," he asked.
Raising the issue of farmers' suicides, he said: "Farmers are committing suicides everyday. In 2014-15, around 12,360 suicides took place, in 2015-16 about 12,402 farmerrs committed suicide. In 2016-17, about 11,458 suicides took place and in 2017-18 more than 14,000 farmers committed suicide.
"Farmers suicides are increasing and government is saying they are doing a lot for them. They increased the MSP for farmers, when Lok Sabha elections are just seven months away, to find a way to go to the people. They only speak about Adani and Ambani," he added.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
